


Heaven and Hell

by NatalieRyan



Series: Cold Open Challenge [3]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: 2x19, Benjamin Franklin + Grey Duffle, Cold Open Challenge, Comforting Jack, Episode Related, Extended Cold Open, Fluff, Gen, Jack is the ultimate papa bear, Mac's fear of heights, POV Riley Davis, Panic, Protective Jack Dalton, Slight Panic, panicked Mac
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:34:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25149280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NatalieRyan/pseuds/NatalieRyan
Summary: Extended cold open for 2x19 – Benjamin Franklin + Grey DufflePart 3 of the Cold Open Challenge.Riley's POV in the events of their climb and after their descent + a talk with Jack.
Relationships: Jack Dalton & Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016), Jack Dalton (MacGyver TV 2016) & Riley Davis
Series: Cold Open Challenge [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1818604
Comments: 20
Kudos: 70





	Heaven and Hell

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, hey, we are in day 3 already.  
> TW for slight panic on Mac's side seen through Riley's eyes. Nothing too explicit, but just in case.   
> Today's story is about the 2x19 cold open, and when I decided I was going to write for it, I completely meant to write about Mac's fear of heights and then maybe some talk between Mac and Jack. Then Riley happened and I ended up writing this completely from Riley's POV. And there's a talk between her and Jack.   
> I couldn't find any logical explanation about Jack's behavior in this cold open so I came up with my own, somewhat logical and plausible: a front to get the attention off of Mac when Mac was feeling self conscious about his panic when his fear of heights kicked in.   
> Also there's a reference to one of SabbyStarlight's stories from Whumptober last year.   
> Title, same as the rest of my fics in the COC, song by The Who.  
> Edit by me.  
> Enjoy!

Riley never thought she'd see Jack like this. It was like a whole lot of another level of goofiness. Where Jack didn't even try to cover up how excited he was. Most of the time when she was younger, Jack got excited over small things and when Riley claimed she was too old or too cool for something, she could swear Jack was hurt over it. But he continued acting goofy for her sake. Riley learned years down the road that most of that was a front Jack put up when he thought no one was looking at him. Jack could be both funny and hilarious, but what was underneath all that was fear and anxiety. And possibly the time running out. 

Riley had no idea why Jack was anxious or what he was scared of back then. They had a roof over their heads, her mom had an awesome boyfriend, and Jack always claimed they made him happy. But still, Riley noticed him, not exactly brooding, but close, on more than one occasion. It didn't make sense. Not until she met Mac and witnessed the way Jack just  _ existed _ around him. The way Jack worried and was always on high alert. Always prepared to jump in action and protect the people he loved. She recognized the same level of protectiveness he had over her and her mom. And the horrors both war and the job brought, and the imprint left on them both.

Some things never changed. Thinking back on it, Riley wasn't sure if she ever believed Jack was a bathroom tiles salesman. It just seemed too ordinary for a man like Jack.

Jack was in a good shape, with calluses on his hands that had nothing to do with working with bathroom tiles. And it always seemed like Jack was watching out for something. Riley from today knew it was for threats and places where he could hide Riley and Diane to safety if things went south, and she knew deep down that one of the reasons she felt safer back then was because of Jack.

Riley was wrong though. Jack was smart in his own right. He wasn't gonna make it into Delta Force and CIA if he wasn't. Intel was short for intelligence after all. 

Jack was a tactile person. He was the touchy feely kind of a person that was in constant need to check in with someone via touch. For injuries, or reassurance the person was still there. It seemed like Mac wasn't much into that stuff unless it was Jack, at first. But Riley learned that Mac was even more tactile than Jack if he was with people he felt safe about. If it was someone that exuded negative energy or simply breathed wrong, Mac's hackles were back up.

It took a while for Riley to figure out why Jack left. Well, it took her years, but after accepting the offer to work for DXS later turning into the Phoenix Foundation, and witnessing his relationship with Mac, Riley figured it out. 

She never told him though. Never told him that she knew he was scared she'll see him as just another Elwood, resorting to violence to solve the problem. She never told him that she knew he was terrified that Diane wasn't feeling safe with him anymore. She never told him that he felt like a balm to her soul to have him around. Back then and now. That he was the father she wished for and was lucky to get him back in her life. 

Life after Jack was a blur and Riley (after letting go of her anger and reproach) realized that being reunited with him wasn't so bad. Jack was awesome. He was loud and boisterous. But at the same time he was soft and sappy. One moment you could see him threaten a terrorist, while in the next he was making sure Mac stayed upright. Soft around the edges, but sharp as a tack when needed.

Jack was a good man. And he always knew what to do and what to say. 

Except now. 

He was getting too excited shooting at the balloons. He was laughing and having the time of his life while Mac was panicking next to him. Mac was so wired and tense, Riley thought he was going to vibrate out of his skin. His knuckles were white as a sheet where he held on the edge of the trampoline, his breathing labored and hitching, lips trembling. 

Riley couldn't help but resent Jack a little at that moment. She knew Jack would do anything for Mac, so why wasn't he shutting up? Why was he acting like his partner wasn't falling apart at the seams next to him? Why was he so weird?

Riley growled in frustration because Mac was a good friend of hers. After her initial distrust of everyone around her, Riley let him in and figured out that at the end of the day, Mac was the closest she could get to a brother. 

(Especially since she considered herself as Jack's daughter -  _ mostly _ \- and Jack was always mother henning Mac, it wasn't far from the truth). 

Right now though, Riley wanted to punch Jack. 

As soon as that thought flew through her head, they dropped on the ground and it was less than ideal. Riley suspected that even if they had few less popped balloons, their landing would be anything but smooth. 

Mac was truly panicking now. They were not moving, but he seemed lost somewhere in his thoughts, and Riley was scared that he was too deep into his head to come back on his own.

Jack sprung into action then, and just as soon as it appeared, goofy Jack was replaced with worried and terrified Jack. 

"Hey there, hoss. We made it. We are on the ground. Well not solid grounds yet, because this looks like a deserted beach, but we are safe. You can come back now. It's okay. I'm here." 

And there it was. The soft and quiet voice Jack always used with Mac when Mac was hurt or panicking. Which was more often than not for Riley's liking. But if there was someone to help Mac out of the funk he could get himself into, it was Jack. 

She suddenly realized that whatever it was that Jack was doing up there, while they were falling, it was intentional. 

"I'm… Jack. Please make it stop." 

"Stop what, Mac?"

"Stop the world from spinning." 

Riley decided that this was as good a moment as any to call Matty with the details of their situation plus the slight detour they took. She could hear Jack murmuring softly, calming Mac down and effectively cutting through the panic that was threatening to close in on him. She thought they deserved a little bit of privacy. Mac's fear of heights wasn't something that was taken lightly, but Riley didn't know what to do in a situation as severe as this one turned out to be. Maybe after all of this was over she'd ask Jack what she could do if there was a situation where Jack wasn't with them and Mac happened to panic. 

She was stumped at Jack for going from zero to sixty. But she wasn't thinking Jack was laughing off Mac's fear anymore, as was her initial thought. Whatever it was that happened out there, it could wait until Riley got her answer.

…

An hour later they were on their exfil flight to LA and Riley dropped in the first chair she saw. She was exhausted now that the adrenaline wore off. She took in her surroundings and could see Mac and Jack talking quietly. Then Jack took some of the blankets and pillows with him to the couch. 

The couch was usually the place where Mac napped after missions. It was odd to see Jack setting up camp there, but after today's events, Riley didn't question the rare occurrence. 

Then she watched as Jack settled in and Mac followed suit. She smiled as Mac just crashed in Jack's embrace and after some more words exchanged between the men, Mac settled in and drifted off. Jack had a content look on his face and Riley wasn't sure he even realized he was doing it, but he started humming "Sweet child o' mine". 

Riley was close to tearing up because that was something Jack used to do with her when he thought she was asleep. Riley loved it and if Jack ever knew that she was faking sleep in order to hear him sing, Jack never said. 

She decided to move closer and before long she settled across from Mac and Jack. Jack stopped humming when she approached and when she looked at them, she could see Mac was out for the count. Jack was running one of his hands rhythmically up and down Mac's back and the other one was buried in short blond strands of hair, softly ruffling it and rubbing at the scalp in a soothing motion. 

Jack was staring off in the distance and she figured his current actions were born out of years performing them, they were a muscle memory by now. 

Riley realized that this was the most vulnerable she's seen Mac be. There were always times when Jack had to take care of him, but Riley wasn't usually there to witness that. She knew that this was something private, something only Mac and Jack shared. She felt like she was intruding on a moment, but Jack didn't tell her to leave them alone so Riley stayed. 

"Years ago, when I learned Mac was afraid of heights, it was one of the scariest moments in my life." 

Jack's voice pulled Riley back out of her musings.

"Hm?" 

"It's easier when your enemies have physical shape and are very firmly on the ground, metaphorically speaking. You can knock them out and have them stay that way. Or you can at least try. Fighting your inner demons on the other hand, and your deepest fears are scarier on so many levels." 

"Why are you telling me this?" 

"Earlier, when we were descending, I was acting a bit…" 

"Goofy?" 

"Yeah." Jack smiled and continued his ministrations. Mac snuffled sleepily and Riley all but cooed at him. 

"It was after that first time he had to disarm a bomb on the roof of a not so tall building, but his footing was rocky and unsteady. At first I thought it was just that he was nervous, but then I mentioned being afraid of heights in passing, and that's how I learned." 

"What happened?" 

"Well you know boy genius. He is as stubborn as a mule." 

"Reminds me of someone else I know." Riley said that under her breath and covered it with a cough. Regardless, she knew Jack heard her if his smile was an indicator. 

"Some of the guys on base knew about it. Only after one of them heard me say it inadvertently. They were kinda jerks about it. Teased him a lot. No matter what, they kept going. Until one day Mac didn't almost blow when one of the guys was pretty mean about it." 

"Did they stop?" 

"Eventually, yeah. I came up with the idea to get all the attention to turn to me when a situation like the one today happened. Everything to help him stop panicking." 

"Oh." 

"Yeah. That's what you saw earlier. Me defusing a situation where he felt uncomfortable. We came up with an agreement after I saw how much he struggled."

"So whenever you are in public and he is uncomfortable…" 

"I act as a buffer, yeah." 

"Just like you did today. Goofing off, laughing while shooting those balloons." 

"Pretty much, yeah. Figured if I did that, I'd buy him some time before he was truly panicking."

Jack sighed.

"Don't get me wrong, you are family as well, but oftentimes he is known to get in his head and someone has to pull him out, y'know? He knows rationally, you wouldn't mind seeing him like that. But his hyperactive brain on the other hand… I think you get the gist." 

And Riley did understand. 

"Yes, I do. And I'm glad it's you, Jack. If anyone can bring him back then it's you." 

Jack seemed surprised by Riley's words and his eyes were suspiciously glassy, but he flashed her a grin that she gladly returned. 

Her grin was interrupted by a yawn and Jack chuckled. 

"Get some sleep darlin'. I'll keep watch." 

"You sure? It's not too much trouble looking after the two of us?" 

"Nah. No trouble at all. Never for my kids." 

Riley found herself settling in her seat, with renewed respect for Jack, admiring the length he'd go to to keep Mac (and all of them) safe. Feeling warm because of the kids comment. 

The last thing Riley saw before she closed her eyes was Mac snuggling deeper in Jack's embrace and Jack tightening his arms around Mac. 

It wasn't bad to have a Jack Dalton in your life. It was the best thing ever. Riley couldn't help but smile. 

…

And if this was one of the best sleeps she's ever gotten, that was only for her to know. 

**Author's Note:**

> _Thoughts? ___


End file.
